Chapter 16: The Young Eagle Spreads Its Wings

When Su Jingting was young, he too had done something similar to Su Yanwei.

After hearing his father talk about the ancestors of the Su family Xuang Guang Sword Immortal, Qing Yi Sword Immortal, and the legend of the Falling Star Sword, he grew deeply curious and fascinated by the Falling Star Sword enshrined in the Su family’s Treasure Armory Pavilion.

One day, when no one was watching, he sneaked into the pavilion and saw that immortal sword, the Falling Star Sword, displayed high on the platform. With just one glance, Su Jingting found his heart firmly captivated by it.

Little boys often tend to be mischievous, and Su Jingting was even more so. From an early age, he had been an overly lively and daring child, always chasing cats and teasing dogs.

So he boldly stepped forward and reached out to touch the Falling Star Sword. When nothing happened, he even took it down, held it in his hands to study it carefully, and even swung it about to mimic swordplay.

After playing with it for a while, he put the Falling Star Sword back and quietly sneaked out again.

No one discovered what he’d done. From then on, Su Jingting would often sneak into the pavilion, telling himself it was to “play” with the Falling Star Sword, though in truth, it was only him playing with the sword, nothing more.

But paper can’t wrap fire forever; sooner or later, the truth would come out.

One day, as Su Jingting sneaked in as usual and had just taken the Falling Star Sword from its stand, a voice called out behind him, “What are you doing, Ting’er!”

Startled, Su Jingting’s hands trembled so badly he nearly dropped the sword.

Standing there frozen, still gripping the Falling Star Sword, it took him a long time before he slowly turned around. Facing the head of the Su family, his father, he forced a stiff smile. “Father.”

The family head glanced at the sword in Su Jingting’s hands, his face flashing with surprise. “No wonder someone reported hearing strange noises in the Treasure Armory Pavilion lately, it was you causing mischief.”

“It wasn’t really mischief…” Su Jingting answered awkwardly. “I was just curious.”

The family head didn’t scold him. Instead, he looked relieved and pleased. “I didn’t expect my son to earn the Falling Star Sword’s favor. Truly, the ancestors must be watching over us!”

“????” Su Jingting was bewildered by these words.

He looked confused. The Falling Star Sword favored him?

The family head chuckled, “Do you think just anyone can lift the Falling Star Sword? Immortal swords have spirits of their own and choose their masters. If it hadn’t accepted you, how could you have even picked it up?”

“This too is your destiny.” His father’s face lit with joy. “Our Su family will indeed have another Sword Immortal!”

At that age, Su Jingting couldn’t fully understand his father’s excitement. But when he heard the sword had taken a liking to him, he too felt secretly delighted.

“But, Ting’er, you’re still too young,” his father added. “It’s not yet time for you to enter the pavilion and choose your sword. Sneaking in breaks family rules, so don’t do it again. In a few years, when you turn twelve, you’ll be allowed to pick your sword from the pavilion.”

The family head seemed extremely happy. “By then, our Su family will have another Sword Immortal!”

Hearing this, Su Jingting immediately felt deflated.

Inside, he was unwilling. Wouldn’t that mean he’d have to wait several years before he could see the Falling Star Sword again? But seeing the joy, pride, and hope on his father’s face, he couldn’t bring himself to argue. He could only lower his head and say weakly, “Yes.”

After that, Su Jingting never again snuck into the pavilion alone. He listened to his father’s words and trained even harder, practicing swordsmanship day and night to prepare for the day he would finally earn the Falling Star Sword and take on the family’s legacy.

His father and indeed, the entire Su family placed great hopes on him.

Everyone looked at him with eyes full of expectation:

“Young master, you will surely become a peerless Sword Immortal, no less than the Qing Yi Sword Immortal. With you, the Su family will once again rise to glory!”

“The Falling Star Sword will definitely choose the young master, there’s no doubt about it!”

Su Jingting himself believed this too: that the Falling Star Sword would certainly choose him.

To be worthy of the sword, he trained harder than ever, practicing tirelessly through wind, rain, summer heat, and winter cold, never missing a single day.

Finally, the day came when he turned twelve.

Amid everyone’s eager anticipation, Su Jingting entered the Treasure Armory Pavilion.

“This time, I’ll definitely take you with me! No one will ever be able to take you from my hands again,” he swore silently. He firmly believed the Falling Star Sword would choose him. There was no need to doubt it.

But things didn’t go as anyone had expected.

Standing in the pavilion, Su Jingting approached the sword stand where the Falling Star Sword was enshrined. He waited there quietly… but nothing happened.

Not the slightest movement.

The Falling Star Sword lay quietly on its high platform, utterly silent.

Su Jingting’s heart sank instantly.

His face paled as he realized what this might mean. Yet he stubbornly stood there, waiting an entire day.

The sword remained silent.

Su Jingting had to admit the painful truth: he had failed everyone’s expectations. The Falling Star Sword had neither chosen him nor acknowledged him.

This was a heavy blow, but his stubbornness wouldn’t let him accept it.

In the end, Su Jingting left empty-handed, deeply unwilling.

He chose no other sword.

Perhaps out of unwillingness, or perhaps refusal to give up, for many years afterward, Su Jingting still never chose another sword. He continued to use a wooden practice sword until he later drew the Qingyang Sword, but that’s another story.

The regrets and stubbornness of youth slowly faded as he matured.

Many years later, after becoming the head of the Su family and working tirelessly in that role, Su Jingting finally understood why the Falling Star Sword had not chosen him back then.

It wasn’t that the sword had abandoned him, he had abandoned it first.

If, on that day, he had dared to defy his father and kept the Falling Star Sword firmly in hand, things might have turned out differently.

His daughter was braver than he had been; she did what he could not.

Su Jingting’s face showed both pride and relief. This was his daughter, his greatest pride in life!

“Elder,” Su Jingting said, looking at Elder Mingfeng, whose expression shifted uncertainly, “Back then, the Xuang Guang Sword Immortal gave up his title as the young master of the Su family and chose to travel the cultivation world. After many hardships and trials, he finally became a Sword Immortal.”

“The Qing Yi Sword Immortal also left home young and devoted himself solely to the sword, eventually becoming the Sword Emperor known across the cultivation realm.”

“They were different,” Su Jingting continued. “The family could never have given them true growth or strength, only become a shackle that stifled their talent.”

“So you’re just going to let her go?” Elder Mingfeng’s expression softened but still showed reluctance.

Su Jingting smiled. “Back then, the Xuang Guang Sword Immortal was already renowned, but when the Su family faced trouble, he didn’t turn away. He traveled thousands of miles to help, and when he later ascended, he left behind the Falling Star Sword and the sword manual recording all his insights.”

“The Qing Yi Sword Immortal, after becoming emperor of the sword, helped the Su family and its disciples many times. Even after his ascension, the Sword Emperor Palace continued to care for the Su family.”

“In the end, they still carried the Su family’s blood. They came from the Su family. If the Su family ever faces danger, they won’t just stand by,” Su Jingting told Elder Mingfeng. “That is enough.”

Hearing this, Elder Mingfeng’s last trace of reluctance faded. “So be it. We’ll do as the family head says.”

“You’re right,” he added, his expression complex.

Su Jingting lifted his gaze toward the distant, endless blue sky outside the window.

A young eagle spreads its wings and soars into the sky.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

---

On the other side.

Su Yanwei held the Falling Star Sword in her arms, sitting on Master Yunxiao Sword Sovereign’s flying boat, passing the time by listening to his stories.

“If it were you, sneaking into the Treasure Armory Pavilion and taking the Falling Star Sword, then getting caught, what would you do?” Yunxiao Sword Sovereign asked with a gentle smile.

“If I got caught, then so be it,” Su Yanwei said carelessly. “What’s the big deal? It’s not like he’d kill me, right?”

“And if he told you to put the sword back?” Yunxiao Sword Sovereign asked again.

“Put it back? Impossible! Once it’s in my hand, it’s mine!” Su Yanwei said boldly. “Have you ever seen anyone spit out food they’ve already swallowed?”

She thought her master was hinting that one day the Su family might come to reclaim the Falling Star Sword. Her expression changed, and she quickly put on a pitiful look, her big watery eyes gazing at him.

“Master, when the time comes, you must protect me!”

Looking as delicate and pitiful as she could.

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign chuckled lightly, not correcting her misunderstanding.

This was what made her different from the other Su family members.

It wasn’t surprising at all that the Falling Star Sword had chosen her.